Child&#39;s foldable toilet-chair



W. C. RATHJEN.

CHILDS FOLDABLE TOILET CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED cm. 3. 1919.

Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

INVENTOR;

/ :ATOEYI W. C. RATHJEN.

CHILD'S FOLDABLE TOILET CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 3, 1919.

1,391,791. PatentedSept. 27,1921,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY 1 'ATR EY.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM G. RATHJEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CHILDS FOLDAIBLE TOILET-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2'7, 1921.

Application filed October 3, 1919. Serial No. 328,212.

7 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. RATHJEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens FoldableToilet- Chairs, of which the following is a specification- Thisinvention comprises improvements in the construction of foldable chairsto be used by children for toilet purposes. The construction isadaptable for use, also, for other purposes.

The chair is capable of being so folded that it can be carried in asuitcase or a small package.

Simplicity and cheapness of construction, compactness when folded, andrigidity when unfolded are some of the advantages of this device.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 lid up; 7

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a top elevation with the lid down and the device as a wholefolded;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view, showing the device folded, but with the lidup; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 in Fig. 4.

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings show the chair unfolded and ready foruse. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings show the device folded and readyfor packing away or transportation. I

The legs 1 are pivoted by pins 2 to front and rear members 3 and 4, andseat, when unfolded, in notches 5 in the seat 6, having the opening 7.The flange-like members 3 and 4 are attached to and depend from the seat6.

The step 8 is fastened to the seat 6, and extends slightly to the rearof the same, so as to overlap rear member 4, the rearward notches 5passing through the step 8 as well as the seat 6. V

Hinges 9 fasten lid 16 to step 8.

Hooks 11, by means of eyelets 12, attach the lid 10 to the side arms 13,when the chair is in unfolded position, thus adding to its stability orrigidity. Hooks 14 are borne by the ends of a piece of tape 10 or strapis a top plan view with the I from eyelets 12.

or the like. The said hooks 14 are hooked in the eyelets 15attached toside arms 13. The purpose of the strap or tape 10 orthe like when hookedin place, as just stated, is to hold the child in the chair. Childrenusing such a chair are usually quite young and need to be supported fromfalling out by some such means.

The legs 1 are braced by tie-rod 17 which imparts solidity to thestructure, especially so as to free legs .lfrom binding on the corners18. This outward movement is not absolutely essential, but, if desired,is permitted by the grooves 19 being made to extend far enough towardthe ends of front and rear members 3 and 4 to permit of it.

The pins 2 fit in grooves 19 and slide therein while the chair is beingeither folded or unfolded -in opposite directions, according to which ofthese operationsis being performed. The grooves 19 extend towardthemiddle of'the length of front and rear members 3 and 4, the said groovesextending far enough toward the said center to enable the legs, whenfolded, neatly to underlie the seat 6.

The chair as a whole is preferably formed in the shape of a square, orin approximately that shape, the width of the seat and length of thefront and rear pieces 3 and 4 being substantially identical with thelength of the legs plus the thickness of arms 13. Thus, when folded, avery neat and compact package is formed. The feet of legs 1, whenfolded, contact with the inner or underneath side of arms 13, and as onepair of legs is pushed in from one side and the other pair fromthe'opposite side, the arms 13 limit the movement of the opposing pairoflegs, and both pairs of legs and the arms 13 are made to lie neatlywithin pieces 3 and 4-and underneath seat 6.

It will be observed that there are two grooves 19 in member .3 and twogrooves 19 in member 4, the same extending in opposite directions fromapproximately the ends of the said members 3 and 4:, and the innermostpoint of the said grooves 19 being respectively past the center ofthelength of members 3 and 4;, thus allowing pins 2 to travel as farinwardly as is necessary to permit the legs 1, arms 18, and tie-rods 17,when folded, completely to underlie seat 6, one of the said leg members,when thus folded, underlying the other.

The lid 10 is notched at 20, so that when erect the notched part willunderlie arms 13 and assist in steadyin'g the structure.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit ofall changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it isevident that many minor changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair of the character described, a seat provided withnotches on its opposite sides having depending flanges on two oppositesides thereof, a pair of side members having supporting legs to be received in said notches when the chair is unfolded, said flanges on theseat having superposed grooves therein extending inwardly from a pointadjacent the notchesin the chair to a central point where they overlap,each of said side members having a pivoted slidable connection in one ofsaid grooves in each of said flanges, whereby said side members and legsmay be moved to underlie the seat in superposed relationto each other.

2. In a folding chair of the character described, a seat provided withnotches on its opposite sides having depending flanges on two oppositesides thereof and notches in the side edges thereof, a pair of sidemembers having supporting legs to be received in said notches when thechair is unfolded, said flanges on the seat having superposed groovestherein, each of said side members having a pivoted slidable connectionin one of said grooves in each of said flanges, whereby said sidemembers and legs may be moved to underlie the seat in superposedrelation to each other.

3. Ina folding chair, the combination of a seat member having notches inthe side edges thereof, there being a pair of flangelike membersdepending from the said seat, a pair of side members comprising arms andlegs, the said legs being received in the said notches and pivoted inrelation to the said seat, said legs extending farther below the seatthan the arms extend above the seat and the said pivotal points beingapproximately where thele s and the arms begin, the pivots of each sidemember being slidably mounted in grooves in the said flangelike members,said grooves being arranged one over the other and extending inwardlyfrom said notches to a point where they overlap, whereby the sidemembers may be folded to underlie the seat within its confines and insuperposed relation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM C. 'RATHJ EN.

